Japan wins $10 billion contract to build warships for Australia

3 months ago 21

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Japanese firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has won a keenly fought contest to build $10 billion worth of warships for the Australian navy, beating its German rival and overcoming concerns about a lack of export experience.

Strongly backed by Japan’s diplomatic nand military apparatus, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries won favour with its ultra-modern Mogami frigate, which was widely acknowledged as a more advanced warship than German firm TKMS’s Meko A-200 vessel.

The Mogami frigate that Australia has selected to be a key vessel in its navy.

TKMS sought to capitalise on its cheaper offer and the fact that modern Japan has no experience exporting warships in its attempt to win the contest.

The general purpose frigate program will see 11 new warships built to replace the ageing Anzac-class frigates, which are regarded as the warhorse vessel of the Australian navy and are being gradually retired from service.

In a bid to avoid the cost overruns and delays that have marred the Hunter-class frigate program, the government has ordered that the first three general purpose frigates be built overseas and that there be minimal changes to the existing ship design.

The first frigate is scheduled to be delivered in 2029, with most of the ships to be built at the Henderson shipyards in Perth.

A lack of support from the Japanese government was blamed for the failure to win a contract to build a fleet of submarines for Australia, a contract that instead went to France’s Naval Group before being scrapped when the AUKUS pact was agreed.

Tokyo was determined to correct that mistake, arguing that awarding the contract to Mitsubishi would solidify Australia and Japan as “special strategic partners” in the Indo-Pacific, allowing their navies to operate more closely at a time of rising tensions in the region.

Boasting high levels of automation, the Mogami needs only 90 crew, while other frigates require about 120.

Its upgraded design contains 32 vertical launch system missile cells compared to 16 for the Meko A-200, meaning the Mogami offered double the firepower of its rival.

More to come.

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